CHAPTER 1
<<THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES>> And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n the son of Dā‑́vĭd was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God [was] with him, and magnified him exceedingly.
2 Then Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n spake unto all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, the chief of the fathers.
3 So Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that [was] at Gĭb‑́ĕ‑o̱n; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Mō‑́ṡĕṡ the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.
4 But the ark of God had Dā‑́vĭd brought up from Kĭr‑́jăth–jē‑́ă‑rĭm to [the place which] Dā‑́vĭd had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
5 More­over the brasen altar, that Bĕz‑́ă‑le᷍el the son of Ū‑́rī, the son of Hu̇r, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n and the congregation sought unto it.
6 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which [was] at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.
7 ¶ In that night did God appear unto Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
8 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto Dā‑́vĭd my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
9 Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto Dā‑́vĭd my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, [that is so] great?
11 And God said to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thy­self, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12 Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
13 ¶ Then Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n came [from his journey] to the high place that [was] at Gĭb‑́ĕ‑o̱n to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
14 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n gathered chariots and horse­men: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horse­men, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
15 And the king made silver and gold at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm [as plenteous] as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that [are] in the vale for abundance.
16 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n had horses brought out of Ē‑́ġy̆pt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
17 And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Ē‑́ġy̆pt a chariot for six hundred [shē‑́kĕls] of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so brought they out [horses] for all the kings of the Hĭt‑́tītes, and for the kings of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă, by their means.
CHAPTER 2
And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
2 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to over­see them.
3 ¶ And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n sent to Hū‑́răm the king of Tȳre, saying, As thou didst deal with Dā‑́vĭd my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, [even so deal with me].
4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate [it] to him, [and] to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shew­bread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This [is an ordinance] for ever to Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
5 And the house which I build [is] great: for great [is] our God above all gods.
6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who [am] I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that [are] with me in Jûd‑́ăh and in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, whom Dā‑́vĭd my father did provide.
8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and ăl‑́gŭm trees, out of Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n; and, behold, my servants [shall be] with thy servants,
9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build [shall be] wonderful great.
10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand bäths of wine, and twenty thousand bäths of oil.
11 ¶ Then Hū‑́răm the king of Tȳre answered in writing, which he sent to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
12 Hū‑́răm said more­over, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to Dā‑́vĭd the king a wise son, endued with prudence and under­standing, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
13 And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with under­standing, of Hū‑́răm my father’s,
14 The son of a woman of the daughters of Dăn, and his father [was] a man of Tȳre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord Dā‑́vĭd thy father.
15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:
16 And we will cut wood out of Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Jŏp‑́pă; and thou shalt carry it up to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
17 ¶ And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n numbered all the strangers that [were] in the land of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, after the numbering where­with Dā‑́vĭd his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them [to be] bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand [to be] hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred over­seers to set the people a work.
CHAPTER 3
Then Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n began to build the house of the LORD at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm in mount Mōr‑́ī‑ăh, where [the LORD] appeared unto Dā‑́vĭd his father, in the place that Dā‑́vĭd had prepared in the threshing­floor of Ôr‑́năn the Jĕb‑́ū‑ṡīte.
2 And he began to build in the second [day] of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.
3 ¶ Now these [are the things wherein] Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure [was] threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.
4 And the porch that [was] in the front [of the house], the length [of it was] according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the height [was] an hundred and twenty: and he over­laid it within with pure gold.
5 And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he over­laid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.
6 And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold [was] gold of Pär‑vā‑́ĭm.
7 He over­laid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved chĕr‑́ū‑bĭms on the walls.
8 And he made the most holy house, the length whereof [was] according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he over­laid it with fine gold, [amounting] to six hundred talents.
9 And the weight of the nails [was] fifty shē‑́kĕls of gold. And he over­laid the upper chambers with gold.
10 And in the most holy house he made two chĕr‑́ū‑bĭms of image work, and over­laid them with gold.
11 ¶ And the wings of the chĕr‑́ū‑bĭms [were] twenty cubits long: one wing [of the one chĕr‑́ŭb was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing [was likewise] five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other chĕr‑́ŭb.
12 And [one] wing of the other chĕr‑́ŭb [was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing [was] five cubits [also], joining to the wing of the other chĕr‑́ŭb.
13 The wings of these chĕr‑́ū‑bĭms spread them­selves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces [were] inward.
14 ¶ And he made the vail [of] blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought chĕr‑́ū‑bĭms thereon.
15 Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that [was] on the top of each of them [was] five cubits.
16 And he made chains, [as] in the oracle, and put [them] on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put [them] on the chains.
17 And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jā‑́c͟hĭn, and the name of that on the left Bō‑́ăz.
CHAPTER 4
More­over he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
2 ¶ Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
3 And under it [was] the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen [were] cast, when it was cast.
4 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea [was set] above upon them, and all their hinder parts [were] inward.
5 And the thickness of it [was] an hand­breadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; [and] it received and held three thousand bäths.
6 ¶ He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea [was] for the priests to wash in.
7 And he made ten candle­sticks of gold according to their form, and set [them] in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.
8 He made also ten tables, and placed [them] in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basons of gold.
9 ¶ Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and over­laid the doors of them with brass.
10 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.
11 And Hū‑́răm made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Hū‑́răm finished the work that he was to make for king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n for the house of God;
12 [To wit], the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters [which were] on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which [were] on the top of the pillars;
13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which [were] upon the pillars.
14 He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;
15 One sea, and twelve oxen under it.
16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the flesh­hooks, and all their instruments, did Hū‑́răm his father make to king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n for the house of the LORD of bright brass.
17 In the plain of Jôr‑́dăn did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Sŭc‑́cōth and Zĕr‑́ĕ‑dā‑thăh.
18 Thus Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.
19 ¶ And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n made all the vessels that [were for] the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shew­bread [was set];
20 More­over the candle­sticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;
21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, [made he of] gold, [and] that perfect gold;
22 And the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers, [of] pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy [place], and the doors of the house of the temple, [were of] gold.
CHAPTER 5
Thus all the work that Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n brought in [all] the things that Dā‑́vĭd his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.
2 ¶ Then Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n assembled the elders of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, unto Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of Dā‑́vĭd, which [is] Zī‑́o̱n.
3 Wherefore all the men of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl assembled them­selves unto the king in the feast which [was] in the seventh month.
4 And all the elders of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came; and the Lē‑́vītes took up the ark.
5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that [were] in the tabernacle, these did the priests [and] the Lē‑́vītes bring up.
6 Also king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, and all the congregation of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy [place, even] under the wings of the chĕr‑́ū‑bĭms:
8 For the chĕr‑́ū‑bĭms spread forth [their] wings over the place of the ark, and the chĕr‑́ū‑bĭms covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
9 And they drew out the staves [of the ark], that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen with­out. And there it is unto this day.
10 [There was] nothing in the ark save the two tables which Mō‑́ṡĕṡ put [therein] at Hôr‑́ĕb, when the LORD made [a covenant] with the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, when they came out of Ē‑́ġy̆pt.
11 ¶ And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy [place]: (for all the priests [that were] present were sanctified, [and] did not [then] wait by course:
12 Also the Lē‑́vītes [which were] the singers, all of them of Ā‑́săph, of Hē‑́măn, of Jĕ‑dū‑́thŭn, with their sons and their brethren, [being] arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers [were] as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up [their] voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: that [then] the house was filled with a cloud, [even] the house of the LORD;
14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
CHAPTER 6
Then said Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.
3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: and all the congregation of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl stood.
4 And he said, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, who hath with his hands fulfilled [that] which he spake with his mouth to my father Dā‑́vĭd, saying,
5 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Ē‑́ġy̆pt I chose no city among all the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl:
6 But I have chosen Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, that my name might be there; and have chosen Dā‑́vĭd to be over my people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
7 Now it was in the heart of Dā‑́vĭd my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
8 But the LORD said to Dā‑́vĭd my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:
9 Notwith­standing thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.
10 The LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of Dā‑́vĭd my father, and am set on the throne of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
11 And in it have I put the ark, wherein [is] the covenant of the LORD, that he made with the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
12 ¶ And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and spread forth his hands:
13 For Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,
14 And said, O LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, [there is] no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and [shewest] mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:
15 Thou which hast kept with thy servant Dā‑́vĭd my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled [it] with thine hand, as [it is] this day.
16 Now therefore, O LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, keep with thy servant Dā‑́vĭd my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.
17 Now then, O LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant Dā‑́vĭd.
18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:
20 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.
21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, [even] from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
22 ¶ If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;
23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.
24 ¶ And if thy people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;
25 Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
26 ¶ When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; [yet] if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;
27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.
28 ¶ If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; what­soever sore or what­soever sickness [there be]:
29 [Then] what prayer [or] what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:
30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)
31 That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
32 ¶ More­over concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, but is come from a far country for thy great name’s sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house;
33 Then hear thou from the heavens, [even] from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as [doth] thy people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.
34 If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name;
35 Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
36 If they sin against thee, (for [there is] no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before [their] enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;
37 Yet [if] they bethink them­selves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly;
38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and [toward] the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:
39 Then hear thou from the heavens, [even] from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.
40 Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and [let] thine ears [be] attent unto the prayer [that is made] in this place.
41 Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.
42 O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of Dā‑́vĭd thy servant.
CHAPTER 7
Now when Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house.
3 And when all the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed them­selves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.
4 ¶ Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.
5 And king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
6 And the priests waited on their offices: the Lē‑́vītes also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which Dā‑́vĭd the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy [endureth] for ever, when Dā‑́vĭd praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl stood.
7 More­over Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n hallowed the middle of the court that [was] before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.
8 ¶ Also at the same time Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n kept the feast seven days, and all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hā‑́măth unto the river of Ē‑́ġy̆pt.
9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto Dā‑́vĭd, and to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, and to Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl his people.
11 Thus Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n finished the house of the LORD, and the king’s house: and all that came into Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n’s heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
12 ¶ And the LORD appeared to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble them­selves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer [that is made] in this place.
16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as Dā‑́vĭd thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with Dā‑́vĭd thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man [to be] ruler in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it [to be] a proverb and a byword among all nations.
21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Ē‑́ġy̆pt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
CHAPTER 8
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n had built the house of the LORD, and his own house,
2 That the cities which Hū‑́răm had restored to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n built them, and caused the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl to dwell there.
3 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n went to Hā‑́măth–zō‑́băh, and prevailed against it.
4 And he built Tăd‑́môr in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hā‑́măth.
5 Also he built Bĕth–hôr‑́ŏn the upper, and Bĕth–hôr‑́ŏn the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
6 And Bā‑́ă‑lăth, and all the store cities that Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horse­men, and all that Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n desired to build in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and in Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n, and through­out all the land of his dominion.
7 ¶ [As for] all the people [that were] left of the Hĭt‑́tītes, and the Ăm‑́ō‑rītes, and the Pĕ‑rĭz‑́zītes, and the Hī‑́vītes, and the Jĕb‑́ū‑ṡītes, which [were] not of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl,
8 [But] of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl consumed not, them did Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n make to pay tribute until this day.
9 But of the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl did Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n make no servants for his work; but they [were] men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horse­men.
10 And these [were] the chief of king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n’s officers, [even] two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.
11 ¶ And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n brought up the daughter of Phâr‑́a̅o̅h out of the city of Dā‑́vĭd unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of Dā‑́vĭd king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, because [the places are] holy, where­unto the ark of the LORD hath come.
12 ¶ Then Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch,
13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, [even] in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.
14 ¶ And he appointed, according to the order of Dā‑́vĭd his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Lē‑́vītes to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had Dā‑́vĭd the man of God commanded.
15 And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Lē‑́vītes concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.
16 Now all the work of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. [So] the house of the LORD was perfected.
17 ¶ Then went Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n to Ē‑́zĭ‑ŏn–gē‑́bĕr, and to Ē‑́lōth, at the sea side in the land of Ē‑́do̱m.
18 And Hū‑́răm sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n to Ō‑́phĭr, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought [them] to king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n.
CHAPTER 9
And when the queen of Shē‑́bă heard of the fame of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, she came to prove Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n with hard questions at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
2 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n which he told her not.
3 And when the queen of Shē‑́bă had seen the wisdom of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, and the house that he had built,
4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cup­bearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.
5 And she said to the king, [It was] a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:
6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen [it]: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: [for] thou exceedest the fame that I heard.
7 Happy [are] thy men, and happy [are] these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.
8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, [to be] king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.
9 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Shē‑́bă gave king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n.
10 And the servants also of Hū‑́răm, and the servants of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, which brought gold from Ō‑́phĭr, brought ăl‑́gŭm trees and precious stones.
11 And the king made [of] the ăl‑́gŭm trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Jûd‑́ăh.
12 And king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n gave to the queen of Shē‑́bă all her desire, what­soever she asked, beside [that] which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.
13 ¶ Now the weight of gold that came to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;
14 Beside [that which] chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Ă‑rā‑́bĭ‑a and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n.
15 ¶ And king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n made two hundred targets [of] beaten gold: six hundred [shē‑́kĕls] of beaten gold went to one target.
16 And three hundred shields [made he of] beaten gold: three hundred [shē‑́kĕls] of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n.
17 More­over the king made a great throne of ivory, and over­laid it with pure gold.
18 And [there were] six steps to the throne, with a foot­stool of gold, [which were] fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays:
19 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.
20 ¶ And all the drinking vessels of king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n [were of] gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n [were of] pure gold: none [were of] silver; it was [not] any thing accounted of in the days of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n.
21 For the king’s ships went to Tär‑́shĭsh with the servants of Hū‑́răm: every three years once came the ships of Tär‑́shĭsh bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
22 And king Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
23 ¶ And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.
24 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
25 ¶ And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horse­men; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
26 ¶ And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, and to the border of Ē‑́ġy̆pt.
27 And the king made silver in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that [are] in the low plains in abundance.
28 And they brought unto Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n horses out of Ē‑́ġy̆pt, and out of all lands.
29 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, first and last, [are] they not written in the book of Nā‑́thăn the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ă‑hī‑́jăh the Shī‑́lō‑nīte, and in the visions of Ĭd‑́dō the seer against Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm the son of Nē‑́băt?
30 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n reigned in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm over all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl forty years.
31 And Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of Dā‑́vĭd his father: and Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm his son reigned in his stead.
CHAPTER 10
And Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm went to Shē‑́c͟hĕm: for to Shē‑́c͟hĕm were all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl come to make him king.
2 And it came to pass, when Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm the son of Nē‑́băt, who [was] in Ē‑́ġy̆pt, whither he had fled from the presence of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n the king, heard [it], that Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm returned out of Ē‑́ġy̆pt.
3 And they sent and called him. So Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm and all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came and spake to Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm, saying,
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou some­what the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.
6 ¶ And king Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm took counsel with the old men that had stood before Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye [me] to return answer to this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease some­what the yoke that thy father did put upon us?
10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou [it] some­what lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little [finger] shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.
12 So Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm and all the people came to Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.
15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ă‑hī‑́jăh the Shī‑́lō‑nīte to Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm the son of Nē‑́băt.
16 ¶ And when all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl [saw] that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in Dā‑́vĭd? and [we have] none inheritance in the son of Jĕs‑́sĕ: every man to your tents, O Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: [and] now, Dā‑́vĭd, see to thine own house. So all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went to their tents.
17 But [as for] the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl that dwelt in the cities of Jûd‑́ăh, Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm reigned over them.
18 Then king Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm sent Hă‑dôr‑́ăm that [was] over the tribute; and the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm made speed to get him up to [his] chariot, to flee to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
19 And Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl rebelled against the house of Dā‑́vĭd unto this day.
CHAPTER 11
And when Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm was come to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, he gathered of the house of Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen [men], which were warriors, to fight against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm.
2 But the word of the LORD came to Shĕm‑a᷍i‑́ăh the man of God, saying,
3 Speak unto Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm the son of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, king of Jûd‑́ăh, and to all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl in Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, saying,
4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm.
5 ¶ And Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm dwelt in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and built cities for defence in Jûd‑́ăh.
6 He built even Bĕth–́lĕ‑hĕm, and Ē‑́tăm, and Tĕ‑kō‑́ă,
7 And Bĕth–́zu̇r, and Shō‑́cō, and Ă‑dŭl‑́lăm,
8 And Găth, and Mă‑rē‑́shäh, and Zĭph,
9 And Ăd‑ō‑rā‑́ĭm, and Lā‑́c͟hĭsh, and Ă‑zē‑́kăh,
10 And Zôr‑́ăh, and A᷍i‑́jă‑lŏn, and Hē‑́brŏn, which [are] in Jûd‑́ăh and in Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn fenced cities.
11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.
12 And in every several city [he put] shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn on his side.
13 ¶ And the priests and the Lē‑́vītes that [were] in all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl resorted to him out of all their coasts.
14 For the Lē‑́vītes left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: for Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD:
15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
16 And after them out of all the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.
17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Jûd‑́ăh, and made Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm the son of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of Dā‑́vĭd and Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n.
18 ¶ And Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm took him Mā‑́hă‑lăth the daughter of Jĕr‑́ĭ‑mōth the son of Dā‑́vĭd to wife, [and] Ăb‑́ĭ‑ha͟il the daughter of Ē‑lī‑́ăb the son of Jĕs‑́sĕ;
19 Which bare him children; Jē‑́ŭsh, and Shăm‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, and Zā‑́hăm.
20 And after her he took Mā‑́ă‑c͟häh the daughter of Ăb‑́să‑lo̱m; which bare him Ā‑bī‑́jăh, and Ăt‑́tā‑ī, and Zī‑́ză, and Shĕ‑lō‑́mĭth.
21 And Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm loved Mā‑́ă‑c͟häh the daughter of Ăb‑́să‑lo̱m above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)
22 And Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm made Ā‑bī‑́jăh the son of Mā‑́ă‑c͟häh the chief, [to be] ruler among his brethren: for [he thought] to make him king.
23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children through­out all the countries of Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.
CHAPTER 12
And it came to pass, when Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm had established the kingdom, and had strengthened him­self, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl with him.
2 And it came to pass, [that] in the fifth year of king Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm Shī‑́shăk king of Ē‑́ġy̆pt came up against Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, because they had transgressed against the LORD,
3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horse­men: and the people [were] with­out number that came with him out of Ē‑́ġy̆pt; the Lū‑́bĭms, the Sŭk‑́kĭ‑ĭms, and the Ē‑thĭ‑ō‑́pĭ‑ăns.
4 And he took the fenced cities which [pertained] to Jûd‑́ăh, and came to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
5 ¶ Then came Shĕm‑a᷍i‑́ăh the prophet to Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm, and [to] the princes of Jûd‑́ăh, that were gathered together to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm because of Shī‑́shăk, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shī‑́shăk.
6 Where­upon the princes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and the king humbled them­selves; and they said, The LORD [is] righteous.
7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled them­selves, the word of the LORD came to Shĕm‑a᷍i‑́ăh, saying, They have humbled them­selves; [therefore] I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm by the hand of Shī‑́shăk.
8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
9 So Shī‑́shăk king of Ē‑́ġy̆pt came up against Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n had made.
10 Instead of which king Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm made shields of brass, and committed [them] to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king’s house.
11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.
12 And when he humbled him­self, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy [him] altogether: and also in Jûd‑́ăh things went well.
13 ¶ So king Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm strengthened him­self in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and reigned: for Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm [was] one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, to put his name there. And his mother’s name [was] Nā‑́ă‑măh an Ăm‑mo̱n‑ī‑́tĕss.
14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
15 Now the acts of Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm, first and last, [are] they not written in the book of Shĕm‑a᷍i‑́ăh the prophet, and of Ĭd‑́dō the seer concerning genealogies? And [there were] wars between Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm and Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm continually.
16 And Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of Dā‑́vĭd: and Ā‑bī‑́jăh his son reigned in his stead.
CHAPTER 13
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm began Ā‑bī‑́jăh to reign over Jûd‑́ăh.
2 He reigned three years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm. His mother’s name also [was] Mī‑c͟ha᷍i‑́ăh the daughter of Ū‑́rĭ‑ĕl of Gĭb‑́ĕ‑ăh. And there was war between Ā‑bī‑́jăh and Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm.
3 And Ā‑bī‑́jăh set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, [even] four hundred thousand chosen men: Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, [being] mighty men of valour.
4 ¶ And Ā‑bī‑́jăh stood up upon mount Zĕm‑ă‑rā‑́ĭm, which [is] in mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, and said, Hear me, thou Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm, and all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl;
5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl gave the kingdom over Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl to Dā‑́vĭd for ever, [even] to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
6 Yet Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm the son of Nē‑́băt, the servant of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n the son of Dā‑́vĭd, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Bē‑́lĭ‑ăl, and have strengthened them­selves against Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm the son of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n, when Rē‑hŏ‑bō‑́ăm was young and tender­hearted, and could not with­stand them.
8 And now ye think to with­stand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of Dā‑́vĭd; and ye [be] a great multitude, and [there are] with you golden calves, which Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm made you for gods.
9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of A᷍a‑́ro̱n, and the Lē‑́vītes, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of [other] lands? so that who­soever cometh to consecrate him­self with a young bullock and seven rams, [the same] may be a priest of [them that are] no gods.
10 But as for us, the LORD [is] our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, [are] the sons of A᷍a‑́ro̱n, and the Lē‑́vītes [wait] upon [their] business:
11 And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shew­bread also [set they in order] upon the pure table; and the candle­stick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.
12 And, behold, God him­self [is] with us for [our] captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.
13 ¶ But Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Jûd‑́ăh, and the ambushment [was] behind them.
14 And when Jûd‑́ăh looked back, behold, the battle [was] before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
15 Then the men of Jûd‑́ăh gave a shout: and as the men of Jûd‑́ăh shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm and all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl before Ā‑bī‑́jăh and Jûd‑́ăh.
16 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl fled before Jûd‑́ăh: and God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Ā‑bī‑́jăh and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl five hundred thousand chosen men.
18 Thus the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl were brought under at that time, and the children of Jûd‑́ăh prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.
19 And Ā‑bī‑́jăh pursued after Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm, and took cities from him, Bĕth–́ĕl with the towns thereof, and Jĕ‑shā‑́năh with the towns thereof, and Ē‑́phră‑ĭn with the towns thereof.
20 Neither did Jĕr‑ŏ‑bō‑́ăm recover strength again in the days of Ā‑bī‑́jăh: and the LORD struck him, and he died.
21 ¶ But Ā‑bī‑́jăh waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
22 And the rest of the acts of Ā‑bī‑́jăh, and his ways, and his sayings, [are] written in the story of the prophet Ĭd‑́dō.
CHAPTER 14
So Ā‑bī‑́jăh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of Dā‑́vĭd: and Ā‑́să his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
2 And Ā‑́să did [that which was] good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:
3 For he took away the altars of the strange [gods], and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
4 And commanded Jûd‑́ăh to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Jûd‑́ăh the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 ¶ And he built fenced cities in Jûd‑́ăh: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.
7 Therefore he said unto Jûd‑́ăh, Let us build these cities, and make about [them] walls, and towers, gates, and bars, [while] the land [is] yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought [him], and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
8 And Ā‑́să had an army [of men] that bare targets and spears, out of Jûd‑́ăh three hundred thousand; and out of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these [were] mighty men of valour.
9 ¶ And there came out against them Zē‑́räh the Ē‑thĭ‑ō‑́pĭ‑ăn with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mă‑rē‑́shäh.
10 Then Ā‑́să went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zĕph‑́ă‑thăh at Mă‑rē‑́shäh.
11 And Ā‑́să cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art] our God; let not man prevail against thee.
12 So the LORD smote the Ē‑thĭ‑ō‑́pĭ‑ăns before Ā‑́să, and before Jûd‑́ăh; and the Ē‑thĭ‑ō‑́pĭ‑ăns fled.
13 And Ā‑́să and the people that [were] with him pursued them unto Gē‑́rär: and the Ē‑thĭ‑ō‑́pĭ‑ăns were over­thrown, that they could not recover them­selves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.
14 And they smote all the cities round about Gē‑́rär; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.
15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
CHAPTER 15
And the Spirit of God came upon Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the son of Ō‑́dĕd:
2 And he went out to meet Ā‑́să, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Ā‑́să, and all Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn; The LORD [is] with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
3 Now for a long season Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl [hath been] with­out the true God, and with­out a teaching priest, and with­out law.
4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and sought him, he was found of them.
5 And in those times [there was] no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations [were] upon all the inhabitants of the countries.
6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
8 And when Ā‑́să heard these words, and the prophecy of Ō‑́dĕd the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that [was] before the porch of the LORD.
9 And he gathered all Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, and the strangers with them out of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm and Mă‑năs‑́sēh, and out of Sĭm‑́ĕ‑o̱n: for they fell to him out of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God [was] with him.
10 So they gathered them­selves together at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Ā‑́să.
11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil [which] they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
13 That who­soever would not seek the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 And all Jûd‑́ăh rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.
16 ¶ And also [concerning] Mā‑́ă‑c͟häh the mother of Ā‑́să the king, he removed her from [being] queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Ā‑́să cut down her idol, and stamped [it], and burnt [it] at the brook Kī‑́drŏn.
17 But the high places were not taken away out of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: nevertheless the heart of Ā‑́să was perfect all his days.
18 ¶ And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he him­self had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.
19 And there was no [more] war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Ā‑́să.
CHAPTER 16
In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Ā‑́să Bā‑ăsh‑́ă king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl came up against Jûd‑́ăh, and built Rā‑́măh, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Ā‑́să king of Jûd‑́ăh.
2 Then Ā‑́să brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Bĕn–hā‑́dăd king of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă, that dwelt at Dă‑măs‑́cŭs, saying,
3 [There is] a league between me and thee, as [there was] between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Bā‑ăsh‑́ă king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that he may depart from me.
4 And Bĕn–hā‑́dăd hearkened unto king Ā‑́să, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl; and they smote Ī‑́jŏn, and Dăn, and Ā‑́bĕl–mā‑́ĭm, and all the store cities of Năph‑́tă‑lī.
5 And it came to pass, when Bā‑ăsh‑́ă heard [it], that he left off building of Rā‑́măh, and let his work cease.
6 Then Ā‑́să the king took all Jûd‑́ăh; and they carried away the stones of Rā‑́măh, and the timber thereof, where­with Bā‑ăsh‑́ă was building; and he built there­with Gē‑́bă and Mĭz‑́păh.
7 ¶ And at that time Hă‑nā‑́nī the seer came to Ā‑́să king of Jûd‑́ăh, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă escaped out of thine hand.
8 Were not the Ē‑thĭ‑ō‑́pĭ‑ăns and the Lū‑́bĭms a huge host, with very many chariots and horse­men? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro through­out the whole earth, to shew him­self strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from hence­forth thou shalt have wars.
10 Then Ā‑́să was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for [he was] in a rage with him because of this [thing]. And Ā‑́să oppressed [some] of the people the same time.
11 ¶ And, behold, the acts of Ā‑́să, first and last, lo, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Jûd‑́ăh and Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
12 And Ā‑́să in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease [was] exceeding [great]: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.
13 ¶ And Ā‑́să slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for him­self in the city of Dā‑́vĭd, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds [of spices] prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.
CHAPTER 17
And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened him­self against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
2 And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Jûd‑́ăh, and set garrisons in the land of Jûd‑́ăh, and in the cities of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, which Ā‑́să his father had taken.
3 And the LORD was with Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, because he walked in the first ways of his father Dā‑́vĭd, and sought not unto Bā‑́ă‑lĭm;
4 But sought to the [LORD] God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
5 Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Jûd‑́ăh brought to Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.
6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: more­over he took away the high places and groves out of Jûd‑́ăh.
7 ¶ Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, [even] to Bĕn–́ha͟il, and to Ō‑bă‑dī‑́ăh, and to Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, and to Nĕth‑́ă‑ne᷍el, and to Mī‑c͟ha᷍i‑́ăh, to teach in the cities of Jûd‑́ăh.
8 And with them [he sent] Lē‑́vītes, [even] Shĕm‑a᷍i‑́ăh, and Nĕth‑ă‑nī‑́ăh, and Zĕb‑ă‑dī‑́ăh, and Ăs‑́ă‑hĕl, and Shĕ‑mī‑́ră‑mōth, and Jĕ‑hŏn‑́ă‑thăn, and Ăd‑ō‑nī‑́jăh, and Tō‑bī‑́jăh, and Tŏb–ăd‑ō‑nī‑́jăh, Lē‑́vītes; and with them Ē‑lī‑́shă‑mă and Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm, priests.
9 And they taught in Jûd‑́ăh, and [had] the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about through­out all the cities of Jûd‑́ăh, and taught the people.
10 ¶ And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that [were] round about Jûd‑́ăh, so that they made no war against Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt.
11 Also [some] of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ brought Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt presents, and tribute silver; and the Ă‑rā‑́bĭ‑ăns brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.
12 ¶ And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Jûd‑́ăh castles, and cities of store.
13 And he had much business in the cities of Jûd‑́ăh: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, [were] in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
14 And these [are] the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Jûd‑́ăh, the captains of thousands; Ăd‑́năh the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand.
15 And next to him [was] Jē‑hō‑hā‑́năn the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.
16 And next him [was] Ăm‑ă‑sī‑́ăh the son of Zĭch‑́rī, who willingly offered him­self unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.
17 And of Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn; Ē‑lī‑́ă‑dă a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.
18 And next him [was] Jĕ‑hō‑́ză‑băd, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war.
19 These waited on the king, beside [those] whom the king put in the fenced cities through­out all Jûd‑́ăh.
CHAPTER 18
Now Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ā‑́hăb.
2 And after [certain] years he went down to Ā‑́hăb to Să‑mâr‑́ĭ‑ă. And Ā‑́hăb killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that [he had] with him, and persuaded him to go up [with him] to Rā‑́mŏth–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd.
3 And Ā‑́hăb king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said unto Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt king of Jûd‑́ăh, Wilt thou go with me to Rā‑́mŏth–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd? And he answered him, I [am] as thou [art], and my people as thy people; and [we will be] with thee in the war.
4 ¶ And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt said unto the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
5 Therefore the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Rā‑́mŏth–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver [it] into the king’s hand.
6 But Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt said, [Is there] not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?
7 And the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said unto Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, [There is] yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same [is] Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh the son of Ĭm‑́lă. And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt said, Let not the king say so.
8 And the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl called for one [of his] officers, and said, Fetch quickly Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh the son of Ĭm‑́lă.
9 And the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt king of Jûd‑́ăh sat either of them on his throne, clothed in [their] robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Să‑mâr‑́ĭ‑ă; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
10 And Zĕd‑ē‑kī‑́ăh the son of C͟hĕ‑nā‑́ă‑năh had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă until they be consumed.
11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Rā‑́mŏth–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king.
12 And the messenger that went to call Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
13 And Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh said, [As] the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.
14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh, shall we go to Rā‑́mŏth–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?
16 Then he said, I did see all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return [therefore] every man to his house in peace.
17 And the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said to Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, Did I not tell thee [that] he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?
18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and [on] his left.
19 And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ā‑́hăb king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that he may go up and fall at Rā‑́mŏth–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Where­with?
21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And [the LORD] said, Thou shalt entice [him], and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do [even] so.
22 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.
23 Then Zĕd‑ē‑kī‑́ăh the son of C͟hĕ‑nā‑́ă‑năh came near, and smote Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
24 And Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thy­self.
25 Then the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said, Take ye Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh, and carry him back to Ā‑́mŏn the governor of the city, and to Jō‑́ăsh the king’s son;
26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this [fellow] in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
27 And Mī‑ca᷍i‑́ăh said, If thou certainly return in peace, [then] hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.
28 So the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt the king of Jûd‑́ăh went up to Rā‑́mŏth–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd.
29 And the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl said unto Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl disguised him­self; and they went to the battle.
30 Now the king of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă had commanded the captains of the chariots that [were] with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, that they said, It [is] the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.
32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, they turned back again from pursuing him.
33 And a [certain] man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl stayed [him­self] up in [his] chariot against the Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ăns until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.
CHAPTER 19
And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt the king of Jûd‑́ăh returned to his house in peace to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
2 And Jē‑́hū the son of Hă‑nā‑́nī the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore [is] wrath upon thee from before the LORD.
3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
4 And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt dwelt at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: and he went out again through the people from Be᷍er–shē‑́bă to mount Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers.
5 ¶ And he set judges in the land through­out all the fenced cities of Jûd‑́ăh, city by city,
6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment.
7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do [it]: for [there is] no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
8 ¶ More­over in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm did Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt set of the Lē‑́vītes, and [of] the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and [so] wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.
11 And, behold, Ăm‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the chief priest [is] over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zĕb‑ă‑dī‑́ăh the son of Ĭsh‑́mā‑ĕl, the ruler of the house of Jûd‑́ăh, for all the king’s matters: also the Lē‑́vītes [shall be] officers before you. Deal courageously, and the LORD shall be with the good.
CHAPTER 20
It came to pass after this also, [that] the children of Mō‑́ăb, and the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, and with them [other] beside the Ăm‑́mo̱n‑ītes, came against Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt to battle.
2 Then there came some that told Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă; and, behold, they [be] in Hăz‑́ă‑zŏn–tā‑́mär, which [is] Ĕn–ġē‑́dī.
3 And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt feared, and set him­self to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast through­out all Jûd‑́ăh.
4 And Jûd‑́ăh gathered them­selves together, to ask [help] of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Jûd‑́ăh they came to seek the LORD.
5 ¶ And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt stood in the congregation of Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art] not thou God in heaven? and rulest [not] thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand [is there not] power and might, so that none is able to with­stand thee?
7 [Art] not thou our God, [who] didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and gavest it to the seed of Ā‑́bră‑hăm thy friend for ever?
8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
9 If, [when] evil cometh upon us, [as] the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name [is] in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
10 And now, behold, the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n and Mō‑́ăb and mount Sē‑́ĭr, whom thou wouldest not let Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl invade, when they came out of the land of Ē‑́ġy̆pt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;
11 Behold, [I say, how] they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.
12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes [are] upon thee.
13 And all Jûd‑́ăh stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
14 ¶ Then upon Jă‑hā‑́zĭ‑ĕl the son of Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, the son of Bĕ‑na᷍i‑́ăh, the son of Jē‑ī‑́ĕl, the son of Măt‑tă‑nī‑́ăh, a Lē‑́vīte of the sons of Ā‑́săph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;
15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Jûd‑́ăh, and ye inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and thou king Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God’s.
16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Zĭz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jĕ‑rû‑́ĕl.
17 Ye shall not [need] to fight in this [battle]: set your­selves, stand ye [still], and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD [will be] with you.
18 And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt bowed his head with [his] face to the ground: and all Jûd‑́ăh and the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.
19 And the Lē‑́vītes, of the children of the Kō‑́hăth‑ītes, and of the children of the Kôr‑́hītes, stood up to praise the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl with a loud voice on high.
20 ¶ And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tĕ‑kō‑́ă: and as they went forth, Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt stood and said, Hear me, O Jûd‑́ăh, and ye inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.
22 ¶ And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n, Mō‑́ăb, and mount Sē‑́ĭr, which were come against Jûd‑́ăh; and they were smitten.
23 For the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n and Mō‑́ăb stood up against the inhabitants of mount Sē‑́ĭr, utterly to slay and destroy [them]: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Sē‑́ĭr, every one helped to destroy another.
24 And when Jûd‑́ăh came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they [were] dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
25 And when Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for them­selves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.
26 ¶ And on the fourth day they assembled them­selves in the valley of Bĕ‑rā‑́c͟hăh; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Bĕ‑rā‑́c͟hăh, unto this day.
27 Then they returned, every man of Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt in the forefront of them, to go again to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
28 And they came to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.
29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of [those] countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
30 So the realm of Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.
31 ¶ And Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt reigned over Jûd‑́ăh: [he was] thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm. And his mother’s name [was] Ă‑zū‑́băh the daughter of Shĭl‑́hī.
32 And he walked in the way of Ā‑́să his father, and departed not from it, doing [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD.
33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of Jē‑́hū the son of Hă‑nā‑́nī, who [is] mentioned in the book of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
35 ¶ And after this did Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt king of Jûd‑́ăh join him­self with Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, who did very wickedly:
36 And he joined him­self with him to make ships to go to Tär‑́shĭsh: and they made the ships in Ē‑́zĭ‑ŏn–gē‑́bĕr.
37 Then Ĕl‑ĭ‑ē‑́zĕr the son of Dō‑́dă‑văh of Mă‑rē‑́shäh prophesied against Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, saying, Because thou hast joined thy­self with Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tär‑́shĭsh.
CHAPTER 21
Now Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of Dā‑́vĭd. And Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm his son reigned in his stead.
2 And he had brethren the sons of Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, and Jĕ‑hī‑́ĕl, and Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, and Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, and Mī‑́c͟hā‑ĕl, and Shĕph‑ă‑tī‑́ăh: all these [were] the sons of Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Jûd‑́ăh: but the kingdom gave he to Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm; because he [was] the first­born.
4 Now when Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened him­self, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and [divers] also of the princes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
5 ¶ Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm [was] thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, like as did the house of Ā‑́hăb: for he had the daughter of Ā‑́hăb to wife: and he wrought [that which was] evil in the eyes of the LORD.
7 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of Dā‑́vĭd, because of the covenant that he had made with Dā‑́vĭd, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.
8 ¶ In his days the Ē‑́do̱m‑ītes revolted from under the dominion of Jûd‑́ăh, and made them­selves a king.
9 Then Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Ē‑́do̱m‑ītes which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
10 So the Ē‑́do̱m‑ītes revolted from under the hand of Jûd‑́ăh unto this day. The same time [also] did Lĭb‑́năh revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
11 More­over he made high places in the mountains of Jûd‑́ăh, and caused the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm to commit fornication, and compelled Jûd‑́ăh [thereto].
12 ¶ And there came a writing to him from Ē‑lī‑́jăh the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Dā‑́vĭd thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt thy father, nor in the ways of Ā‑́să king of Jûd‑́ăh,
13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and hast made Jûd‑́ăh and the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ā‑́hăb, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, [which were] better than thy­self:
14 Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:
15 And thou [shalt have] great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.
16 ¶ More­over the LORD stirred up against Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm the spirit of the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, and of the Ă‑rā‑́bĭ‑ăns, that [were] near the Ē‑thĭ‑ō‑́pĭ‑ăns:
17 And they came up into Jûd‑́ăh, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jĕ‑hō‑́ă‑hăz, the youngest of his sons.
18 ¶ And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm eight years, and departed with­out being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of Dā‑́vĭd, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
CHAPTER 22
And the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm made Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Ă‑rā‑́bĭ‑ăns to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh the son of Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm king of Jûd‑́ăh reigned.
2 Forty and two years old [was] Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm. His mother’s name also [was] Ăth‑ă‑lī‑́ăh the daughter of Ŏm‑́rī.
3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ā‑́hăb: for his mother was his counseller to do wickedly.
4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ā‑́hăb: for they were his counsellers after the death of his father to his destruction.
5 ¶ He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm the son of Ā‑́hăb king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl to war against Hă‑zā‑́ĕl king of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă at Rā‑́mŏth–gĭl‑́ĕ‑ăd: and the Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ăns smote Jôr‑́ăm.
6 And he returned to be healed in Jĕz‑́re᷍el because of the wounds which were given him at Rā‑́măh, when he fought with Hă‑zā‑́ĕl king of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă. And Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the son of Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm king of Jûd‑́ăh went down to see Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm the son of Ā‑́hăb at Jĕz‑́re᷍el, because he was sick.
7 And the destruction of Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh was of God by coming to Jôr‑́ăm: for when he was come, he went out with Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm against Jē‑́hū the son of Nĭm‑́shī, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ā‑́hăb.
8 And it came to pass, that, when Jē‑́hū was executing judgment upon the house of Ā‑́hăb, and found the princes of Jûd‑́ăh, and the sons of the brethren of Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh, that ministered to Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh, he slew them.
9 And he sought Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Să‑mâr‑́ĭ‑ă,) and brought him to Jē‑́hū: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he [is] the son of Jĕ‑hŏsh‑́ă‑phăt, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh had no power to keep still the kingdom.
10 ¶ But when Ăth‑ă‑lī‑́ăh the mother of Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Jûd‑́ăh.
11 But Jē‑hō‑shăb‑́ĕ‑ăth, the daughter of the king, took Jō‑́ăsh the son of Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bed­chamber. So Jē‑hō‑shăb‑́ĕ‑ăth, the daughter of king Jĕ‑hôr‑́ăm, the wife of Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the priest, (for she was the sister of Ā‑hă‑zī‑́ăh,) hid him from Ăth‑ă‑lī‑́ăh, so that she slew him not.
12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Ăth‑ă‑lī‑́ăh reigned over the land.
CHAPTER 23
And in the seventh year Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă strengthened him­self, and took the captains of hundreds, Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the son of Jĕ‑rō‑́hăm, and Ĭsh‑́mā‑ĕl the son of Jē‑hō‑hā‑́năn, and Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the son of Ō‑́bĕd, and Mā‑ă‑se᷍i‑́ăh the son of Ă‑da᷍i‑́ăh, and Ē‑lī‑shā‑́phăt the son of Zĭch‑́rī, into covenant with him.
2 And they went about in Jûd‑́ăh, and gathered the Lē‑́vītes out of all the cities of Jûd‑́ăh, and the chief of the fathers of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and they came to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of Dā‑́vĭd.
4 This [is] the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Lē‑́vītes, [shall be] porters of the doors;
5 And a third part [shall be] at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people [shall be] in the courts of the house of the LORD.
6 But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Lē‑́vītes; they shall go in, for they [are] holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.
7 And the Lē‑́vītes shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and who­soever [else] cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.
8 So the Lē‑́vītes and all Jûd‑́ăh did according to all things that Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go [out] on the sabbath: for Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the priest dismissed not the courses.
9 More­over Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that [had been] king Dā‑́vĭd’s, which [were] in the house of God.
10 And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.
11 Then they brought out the king’s son, and put upon him the crown, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king. And Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.
12 ¶ Now when Ăth‑ă‑lī‑́ăh heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:
13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Ăth‑ă‑lī‑́ăh rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.
14 Then Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.
15 So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king’s house, they slew her there.
16 ¶ And Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’S people.
17 Then all the people went to the house of Bā‑́ăl, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Măt‑́tăn the priest of Bā‑́ăl before the altars.
18 Also Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Lē‑́vītes, whom Dā‑́vĭd had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as [it is] written in the law of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ, with rejoicing and with singing, [as it was ordained] by Dā‑́vĭd.
19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none [which was] unclean in any thing should enter in.
20 And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king’s house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.
21 And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Ăth‑ă‑lī‑́ăh with the sword.
CHAPTER 24
Jō‑́ăsh [was] seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm. His mother’s name also [was] Zī‑́bĭ‑ăh of Be᷍er–shē‑́bă.
2 And Jō‑́ăsh did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the priest.
3 And Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
4 ¶ And it came to pass after this, [that] Jō‑́ăsh was minded to repair the house of the LORD.
5 And he gathered together the priests and the Lē‑́vītes, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Jûd‑́ăh, and gather of all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Lē‑́vītes hastened [it] not.
6 And the king called for Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Lē‑́vītes to bring in out of Jûd‑́ăh and out of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm the collection, [according to the commandment] of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, for the tabernacle of witness?
7 For the sons of Ăth‑ă‑lī‑́ăh, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Bā‑́ă‑lĭm.
8 And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it with­out at the gate of the house of the LORD.
9 And they made a proclamation through Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, to bring in to the LORD the collection [that] Mō‑́ṡĕṡ the servant of God [laid] upon Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl in the wilderness.
10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Lē‑́vītes, and when they saw that [there was] much money, the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
12 And the king and Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.
13 So the work­men wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
14 And when they had finished [it], they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, [even] vessels to minister, and to offer [withal], and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă.
15 ¶ But Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old [was he] when he died.
16 And they buried him in the city of Dā‑́vĭd among the kings, because he had done good in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, both toward God, and toward his house.
17 Now after the death of Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă came the princes of Jûd‑́ăh, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm for this their trespass.
19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the son of Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
22 Thus Jō‑́ăsh the king remembered not the kindness which Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon [it], and require [it].
23 ¶ And it came to pass at the end of the year, [that] the host of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă came up against him: and they came to Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Dă‑măs‑́cŭs.
24 For the army of the Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ăns came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Jō‑́ăsh.
25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑dă the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of Dā‑́vĭd, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
26 And these are they that conspired against him; Zā‑́băd the son of Shĭm‑́ĕ‑ăth an Ăm‑mo̱n‑ī‑́tĕss, and Jĕ‑hō‑́ză‑băd the son of Shĭm‑́rĭth a Mō‑ăb‑ī‑́tĕss.
27 ¶ Now [concerning] his sons, and the greatness of the burdens [laid] upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they [are] written in the story of the book of the kings. And Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh his son reigned in his stead.
CHAPTER 25
Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh [was] twenty and five years old [when] he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm. And his mother’s name [was] Jĕ‑hō‑ăd‑́dăn of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
2 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
3 ¶ Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
4 But he slew not their children, but [did] as [it is] written in the law in the book of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.
5 ¶ More­over Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh gathered Jûd‑́ăh together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of [their] fathers, through­out all Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice [men, able] to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl for an hundred talents of silver.
7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl go with thee; for the LORD [is] not with Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, [to wit, with] all the children of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm.
8 But if thou wilt go, do [it], be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
9 And Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
10 Then Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh separated them, [to wit], the army that was come to him out of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Jûd‑́ăh, and they returned home in great anger.
11 ¶ And Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh strengthened him­self, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Sē‑́ĭr ten thousand.
12 And [other] ten thousand [left] alive did the children of Jûd‑́ăh carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
13 ¶ But the soldiers of the army which Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Jûd‑́ăh, from Să‑mâr‑́ĭ‑ă even unto Bĕth–hôr‑́ŏn, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
14 ¶ Now it came to pass, after that Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh was come from the slaughter of the Ē‑́do̱m‑ītes, that he brought the gods of the children of Sē‑́ĭr, and set them up [to be] his gods, and bowed down him­self before them, and burned incense unto them.
15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that [the king] said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
17 ¶ Then Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh king of Jûd‑́ăh took advice, and sent to Jō‑́ăsh, the son of Jĕ‑hō‑́ă‑hăz, the son of Jē‑́hū, king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.
18 And Jō‑́ăsh king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl sent to Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh king of Jûd‑́ăh, saying, The thistle that [was] in Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n sent to the cedar that [was] in Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that [was] in Lĕb‑́ă‑no̱n, and trode down the thistle.
19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Ē‑́do̱m‑ītes; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to [thine] hurt, that thou shouldest fall, [even] thou, and Jûd‑́ăh with thee?
20 But Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh would not hear; for it [came] of God, that he might deliver them into the hand [of their enemies], because they sought after the gods of Ē‑́do̱m.
21 So Jō‑́ăsh the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl went up; and they saw one another in the face, [both] he and Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh king of Jûd‑́ăh, at Bĕth–shē‑́mĕsh, which [belongeth] to Jûd‑́ăh.
22 And Jûd‑́ăh was put to the worse before Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and they fled every man to his tent.
23 And Jō‑́ăsh the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl took Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh king of Jûd‑́ăh, the son of Jō‑́ăsh, the son of Jĕ‑hō‑́ă‑hăz, at Bĕth–shē‑́mĕsh, and brought him to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and brake down the wall of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm from the gate of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
24 And [he took] all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Ō‑́bĕd–ē‑́do̱m, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Să‑mâr‑́ĭ‑ă.
25 ¶ And Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh the son of Jō‑́ăsh king of Jûd‑́ăh lived after the death of Jō‑́ăsh son of Jĕ‑hō‑́ă‑hăz king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl fifteen years.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh, first and last, behold, [are] they not written in the book of the kings of Jûd‑́ăh and Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl?
27 ¶ Now after the time that Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm; and he fled to Lā‑́c͟hĭsh: but they sent to Lā‑́c͟hĭsh after him, and slew him there.
28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Jûd‑́ăh.
CHAPTER 26
Then all the people of Jûd‑́ăh took Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh, who [was] sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh.
2 He built Ē‑́lōth, and restored it to Jûd‑́ăh, after that the king slept with his fathers.
3 Sixteen years old [was] Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm. His mother’s name also [was] Jĕc‑ŏ‑lī‑́ăh of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
4 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Ăm‑ă‑zī‑́ăh did.
5 And he sought God in the days of Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, who had under­standing in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.
6 And he went forth and warred against the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, and brake down the wall of Găth, and the wall of Jăb‑́nēh, and the wall of Ăsh‑́dŏd, and built cities about Ăsh‑́dŏd, and among the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ.
7 And God helped him against the Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ, and against the Ă‑rā‑́bĭ‑ăns that dwelt in Gu̇r–bā‑́ăl, and the Mĕ‑hū‑́nĭms.
8 And the Ăm‑́mo̱n‑ītes gave gifts to Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh: and his name spread abroad [even] to the entering in of Ē‑́ġy̆pt; for he strengthened [him­self] exceedingly.
9 More­over Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh built towers in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning [of the wall], and fortified them.
10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husband­men [also], and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Cär‑́mĕl: for he loved husbandry.
11 More­over Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jē‑ī‑́ĕl the scribe and Mā‑ă‑se᷍i‑́ăh the ruler, under the hand of Hăn‑ă‑nī‑́ăh, [one] of the king’s captains.
12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour [were] two thousand and six hundred.
13 And under their hand [was] an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
14 And Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh prepared for them through­out all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings [to cast] stones.
15 And he made in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
16 ¶ But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to [his] destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17 And Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, [that were] valiant men:
18 And they with­stood Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh the king, and said unto him, [It appertaineth] not unto thee, Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of A᷍a‑́ro̱n, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither [shall it be] for thine honour from the LORD God.
19 Then Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh was wroth, and [had] a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
20 And Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he [was] leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, him­self hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
21 And Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, [being] a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jō‑́thăm his son [was] over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
22 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh, first and last, did Ī‑ṡa᷍i‑́ăh the prophet, the son of Ā‑́mŏz, write.
23 So Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which [belonged] to the kings; for they said, He [is] a leper: and Jō‑́thăm his son reigned in his stead.
CHAPTER 27
Jō‑́thăm [was] twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm. His mother’s name also [was] Jĕ‑rû‑́shăh, the daughter of Zā‑́dŏk.
2 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Ŭz‑zī‑́ăh did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.
3 He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ō‑́phĕl he built much.
4 More­over he built cities in the mountains of Jûd‑́ăh, and in the forests he built castles and towers.
5 ¶ He fought also with the king of the Ăm‑́mo̱n‑ītes, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ăm‑́mo̱n pay unto him, both the second year, and the third.
6 So Jō‑́thăm became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.
7 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Jō‑́thăm, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and Jûd‑́ăh.
8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
9 ¶ And Jō‑́thăm slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of Dā‑́vĭd: and Ā‑́hăz his son reigned in his stead.
CHAPTER 28
Ā‑́hăz [was] twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: but he did not [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, like Dā‑́vĭd his father:
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and made also molten images for Bā‑́ă‑lĭm.
3 More­over he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hĭn‑́no̱m, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought [them] to Dă‑măs‑́cŭs. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, who smote him with a great slaughter.
6 ¶ For Pē‑́käh the son of Rĕm‑ă‑lī‑́ăh slew in Jûd‑́ăh an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, [which were] all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
7 And Zĭch‑́rī, a mighty man of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, slew Mā‑ă‑se᷍i‑́ăh the king’s son, and Ăz‑rī‑́kăm the governor of the house, and Ĕl‑kā‑́năh [that was] next to the king.
8 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Să‑mâr‑́ĭ‑ă.
9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name [was] Ō‑́dĕd: and he went out before the host that came to Să‑mâr‑́ĭ‑ă, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Jûd‑́ăh, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage [that] reacheth up unto heaven.
10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm for bond­men and bond­women unto you: [but are there] not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD [is] upon you.
12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the son of Jō‑hā‑́năn, Bĕr‑ē‑c͟hī‑́ăh the son of Mĕ‑shĭl‑́lĕ‑mōth, and Jĕ‑hĭz‑kī‑́ăh the son of Shăl‑́lŭm, and Ă‑mā‑́să the son of Hăd‑lā‑́ī, stood up against them that came from the war,
13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD [already], ye intend to add [more] to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and [there is] fierce wrath against Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jĕr‑́ĭ‑c͟hō, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Să‑mâr‑́ĭ‑ă.
16 ¶ At that time did king Ā‑́hăz send unto the kings of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă to help him.
17 For again the Ē‑́do̱m‑ītes had come and smitten Jûd‑́ăh, and carried away captives.
18 The Phĭl‑́ĭs‑tīneṡ also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Jûd‑́ăh, and had taken Bĕth–shē‑́mĕsh, and Ăj‑́ă‑lŏn, and Gĕ‑dē‑́rōth, and Shō‑́c͟hō with the villages thereof, and Tĭm‑́năh with the villages thereof, Gĭm‑́zō also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
19 For the LORD brought Jûd‑́ăh low because of Ā‑́hăz king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl; for he made Jûd‑́ăh naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.
20 And Tĭl‑́găth–pĭl‑nē‑́ṡĕr king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
21 For Ā‑́hăz took away a portion [out] of the house of the LORD, and [out] of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave [it] unto the king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă: but he helped him not.
22 ¶ And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this [is that] king Ā‑́hăz.
23 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Dă‑măs‑́cŭs, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă help them, [therefore] will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
24 And Ā‑́hăz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
25 And in every several city of Jûd‑́ăh he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
26 ¶ Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Jûd‑́ăh and Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
27 And Ā‑́hăz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, [even] in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: and Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh his son reigned in his stead.
CHAPTER 29
Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh began to reign [when he was] five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm. And his mother’s name [was] Ā‑bī‑́jăh, the daughter of Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh.
2 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Dā‑́vĭd his father had done.
3 ¶ He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
4 And he brought in the priests and the Lē‑́vītes, and gathered them together into the east street,
5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Lē‑́vītes, sanctify now your­selves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy [place].
6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done [that which was] evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned [their] backs.
7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy [place] unto the God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.
9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives [are] in captivity for this.
10 Now [it is] in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
12 ¶ Then the Lē‑́vītes arose, Mā‑́hăth the son of Ă‑mā‑́sa᷍i, and Jō‑́ĕl the son of Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, of the sons of the Kō‑́hăth‑ītes: and of the sons of Mĕ‑râr‑́ī, Kĭsh the son of Ăb‑́dī, and Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the son of Jĕ‑hăl‑́ĕ‑lĕl: and of the Gĕr‑́shŏn‑ītes; Jō‑́äh the son of Zĭm‑́măh, and Ē‑́dĕn the son of Jō‑́äh:
13 And of the sons of Ē‑lī‑zā‑́phăn; Shĭm‑́rī, and Jē‑ī‑́ĕl: and of the sons of Ā‑́săph; Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, and Măt‑tă‑nī‑́ăh:
14 And of the sons of Hē‑́măn; Jĕ‑hī‑́ĕl, and Shĭm‑́ĕ‑ī: and of the sons of Jĕ‑dū‑́thŭn; Shĕm‑a᷍i‑́ăh, and Ŭz‑́zĭ‑ĕl.
15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified them­selves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.
16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse [it], and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Lē‑́vītes took [it], to carry [it] out abroad into the brook Kī‑́drŏn.
17 Now they began on the first [day] of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
18 Then they went in to Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shew­bread table, with all the vessels thereof.
19 More­over all the vessels, which king Ā‑́hăz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they [are] before the altar of the LORD.
20 ¶ Then Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Jûd‑́ăh. And he commanded the priests the sons of A᷍a‑́ro̱n to offer [them] on the altar of the LORD.
22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled [it] on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.
23 And they brought forth the he goats [for] the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: for the king commanded [that] the burnt offering and the sin offering [should be made] for all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
25 And he set the Lē‑́vītes in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of Dā‑́vĭd, and of Găd the king’s seer, and Nā‑́thăn the prophet: for [so was] the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.
26 And the Lē‑́vītes stood with the instruments of Dā‑́vĭd, and the priests with the trumpets.
27 And Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began [also] with the trumpets, and with the instruments [ordained] by Dā‑́vĭd king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: [and] all [this continued] until the burnt offering was finished.
29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed them­selves, and worshipped.
30 More­over Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh the king and the princes commanded the Lē‑́vītes to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of Dā‑́vĭd, and of Ā‑́săph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
31 Then Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh answered and said, Now ye have consecrated your­selves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.
32 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, [and] two hundred lambs: all these [were] for a burnt offering to the LORD.
33 And the consecrated things [were] six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Lē‑́vītes did help them, till the work was ended, and until the [other] priests had sanctified them­selves: for the Lē‑́vītes [were] more upright in heart to sanctify them­selves than the priests.
35 And also the burnt offerings [were] in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for [every] burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
36 And Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was [done] suddenly.
CHAPTER 30
And Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh sent to all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and Jûd‑́ăh, and wrote letters also to Ē‑́phră‑ĭm and Mă‑năs‑́sēh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, to keep the pass­over unto the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, to keep the pass­over in the second month.
3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified them­selves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered them­selves together to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
5 So they established a decree to make proclamation through­out all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, from Be᷍er–shē‑́bă even to Dăn, that they should come to keep the pass­over unto the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: for they had not done [it] of a long [time in such sort] as it was written.
6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes through­out all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and Jûd‑́ăh, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, turn again unto the LORD God of Ā‑́bră‑hăm, Ī‑́ṡa̅a̅c, and Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă.
7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, [who] therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers [were, but] yield your­selves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children [shall find] compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God [is] gracious and merciful, and will not turn away [his] face from you, if ye return unto him.
10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm and Mă‑năs‑́sēh even unto Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
11 Nevertheless divers of Ăsh‑́ĕr and Mă‑năs‑́sēh and of Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn humbled them­selves, and came to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
12 Also in Jûd‑́ăh the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.
13 ¶ And there assembled at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14 And they arose and took away the altars that [were] in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast [them] into the brook Kī‑́drŏn.
15 Then they killed the pass­over on the fourteenth [day] of the second month: and the priests and the Lē‑́vītes were ashamed, and sanctified them­selves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, [which they received] of the hand of the Lē‑́vītes.
17 For [there were] many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Lē‑́vītes had the charge of the killing of the pass­overs for every one [that was] not clean, to sanctify [them] unto the LORD.
18 For a multitude of the people, [even] many of Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, and Mă‑năs‑́sēh, Ĭs‑́să‑c͟här, and Zĕ‑bū‑́lŭn, had not cleansed them­selves, yet did they eat the pass­over other­wise than it was written. But Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
19 [That] prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though [he be] not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20 And the LORD hearkened to Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh, and healed the people.
21 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl that were present at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Lē‑́vītes and the priests praised the LORD day by day, [singing] with loud instruments unto the LORD.
22 And Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh spake comfortably unto all the Lē‑́vītes that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat through­out the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept [other] seven days with gladness.
24 For Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh king of Jûd‑́ăh did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified them­selves.
25 And all the congregation of Jûd‑́ăh, with the priests and the Lē‑́vītes, and all the congregation that came out of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and the strangers that came out of the land of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and that dwelt in Jûd‑́ăh, rejoiced.
26 So there was great joy in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: for since the time of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n the son of Dā‑́vĭd king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl [there was] not the like in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
27 ¶ Then the priests the Lē‑́vītes arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came [up] to his holy dwelling place, [even] unto heaven.
CHAPTER 31
Now when all this was finished, all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl that were present went out to the cities of Jûd‑́ăh, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn, in Ē‑́phră‑ĭm also and Mă‑năs‑́sēh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
2 ¶ And Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh appointed the courses of the priests and the Lē‑́vītes after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Lē‑́vītes for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.
3 [He appointed] also the king’s portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, [to wit], for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as [it is] written in the law of the LORD.
4 More­over he commanded the people that dwelt in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm to give the portion of the priests and the Lē‑́vītes, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.
5 ¶ And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl brought in abundance the first­fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all [things] brought they in abundantly.
6 And [concerning] the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and Jûd‑́ăh, that dwelt in the cities of Jûd‑́ăh, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid [them] by heaps.
7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished [them] in the seventh month.
8 And when Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
9 Then Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh questioned with the priests and the Lē‑́vītes concerning the heaps.
10 And Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the chief priest of the house of Zā‑́dŏk answered him, and said, Since [the people] began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left [is] this great store.
11 ¶ Then Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared [them],
12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated [things] faithfully: over which Cō‑nō‑nī‑́ăh the Lē‑́vīte [was] ruler, and Shĭm‑́ĕ‑ī his brother [was] the next.
13 And Jĕ‑hī‑́ĕl, and Ăz‑ă‑zī‑́ăh, and Nā‑́hăth, and Ăs‑́ă‑hĕl, and Jĕr‑́ĭ‑mōth, and Jō‑́ză‑băd, and Ē‑lī‑́ĕl, and Ĭs‑mă‑chī‑́ăh, and Mā‑́hăth, and Bĕ‑na᷍i‑́ăh, [were] over­seers under the hand of Cō‑nō‑nī‑́ăh and Shĭm‑́ĕ‑ī his brother, at the commandment of Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh the king, and Ăz‑ă‑rī‑́ăh the ruler of the house of God.
14 And Kôr‑́ē the son of Ĭm‑́năh the Lē‑́vīte, the porter toward the east, [was] over the free­will offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.
15 And next him [were] Ē‑́dĕn, and Mĭn‑ī‑́ă‑mĭn, and Jĕsh‑́ū‑ă, and Shĕm‑a᷍i‑́ăh, Ăm‑ă‑rī‑́ăh, and Shĕc‑ă‑nī‑́ăh, in the cities of the priests, in [their] set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:
16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, [even] unto every one that entereth into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;
17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Lē‑́vītes from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;
18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified them­selves in holiness:
19 Also of the sons of A᷍a‑́ro̱n the priests, [which were] in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Lē‑́vītes.
20 ¶ And thus did Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh through­out all Jûd‑́ăh, and wrought [that which was] good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did [it] with all his heart, and prospered.
CHAPTER 32
After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sĕn‑năc͟h‑́ĕr‑ĭb king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă came, and entered into Jûd‑́ăh, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for him­self.
2 And when Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh saw that Sĕn‑năc͟h‑́ĕr‑ĭb was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm,
3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which [were] with­out the city: and they did help him.
4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă come, and find much water?
5 Also he strengthened him­self, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised [it] up to the towers, and another wall with­out, and repaired Mĭl‑́lō [in] the city of Dā‑́vĭd, and made darts and shields in abundance.
6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă, nor for all the multitude that [is] with him: for [there be] more with us than with him:
8 With him [is] an arm of flesh; but with us [is] the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested them­selves upon the words of Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh king of Jûd‑́ăh.
9 ¶ After this did Sĕn‑năc͟h‑́ĕr‑ĭb king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă send his servants to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, (but he [him­self laid siege] against Lā‑́c͟hĭsh, and all his power with him,) unto Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh king of Jûd‑́ăh, and unto all Jûd‑́ăh that [were] at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, saying,
10 Thus saith Sĕn‑năc͟h‑́ĕr‑ĭb king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm?
11 Doth not Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh persuade you to give over your­selves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă?
12 Hath not the same Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of [other] lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?
14 Who [was there] among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
15 Now therefore let not Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
16 And his servants spake yet [more] against the LORD God, and against his servant Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh.
17 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of [other] lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh deliver his people out of mine hand.
18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Je̅w̅ṡ’ speech unto the people of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm that [were] on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.
19 And they spake against the God of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, as against the gods of the people of the earth, [which were] the work of the hands of man.
20 And for this [cause] Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh the king, and the prophet Ī‑ṡa᷍i‑́ăh the son of Ā‑́mŏz, prayed and cried to heaven.
21 ¶ And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.
22 Thus the LORD saved Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh and the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm from the hand of Sĕn‑năc͟h‑́ĕr‑ĭb the king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă, and from the hand of all [other], and guided them on every side.
23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and presents to Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh king of Jûd‑́ăh: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thence­forth.
24 ¶ In those days Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.
25 But Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh rendered not again according to the benefit [done] unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
26 Notwith­standing Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh humbled him­self for the pride of his heart, [both] he and the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh.
27 ¶ And Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made him­self treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;
28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
29 More­over he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
30 This same Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh also stopped the upper water­course of Gī‑́hŏn, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of Dā‑́vĭd. And Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh prospered in all his works.
31 ¶ Howbeit in [the business of] the ambassadors of the princes of Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was [done] in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all [that was] in his heart.
32 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh, and his goodness, behold, they [are] written in the vision of Ī‑ṡa᷍i‑́ăh the prophet, the son of Ā‑́mŏz, [and] in the book of the kings of Jûd‑́ăh and Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
33 And Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of Dā‑́vĭd: and all Jûd‑́ăh and the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm did him honour at his death. And Mă‑năs‑́sēh his son reigned in his stead.
CHAPTER 33
Mă‑năs‑́sēh [was] twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm:
2 But did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
3 ¶ For he built again the high places which Hĕz‑ē‑kī‑́ăh his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Bā‑́ă‑lĭm, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm shall my name be for ever.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hĭn‑́no̱m: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witch­craft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to Dā‑́vĭd and to Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n his son, In this house, and in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, will I put my name for ever:
8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ.
9 So Mă‑năs‑́sēh made Jûd‑́ăh and the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm to err, [and] to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
10 And the LORD spake to Mă‑năs‑́sēh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
11 ¶ Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Ăs‑sy̆r‑́ĭ‑ă, which took Mă‑năs‑́sēh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n.
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled him­self greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm into his kingdom. Then Mă‑năs‑́sēh knew that the LORD he [was] God.
14 Now after this he built a wall with­out the city of Dā‑́vĭd, on the west side of Gī‑́hŏn, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ō‑́phĕl, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Jûd‑́ăh.
15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and cast [them] out of the city.
16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Jûd‑́ăh to serve the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, [yet] unto the LORD their God only.
18 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Mă‑năs‑́sēh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, behold, they [are written] in the book of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
19 His prayer also, and [how God] was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they [are] written among the sayings of the seers.
20 ¶ So Mă‑năs‑́sēh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Ā‑́mŏn his son reigned in his stead.
21 ¶ Ā‑́mŏn [was] two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
22 But he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Mă‑năs‑́sēh his father: for Ā‑́mŏn sacrificed unto all the carved images which Mă‑năs‑́sēh his father had made, and served them;
23 And humbled not him­self before the LORD, as Mă‑năs‑́sēh his father had humbled him­self; but Ā‑́mŏn trespassed more and more.
24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.
25 ¶ But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Ā‑́mŏn; and the people of the land made Jō‑sī‑́ăh his son king in his stead.
CHAPTER 34
Jō‑sī‑́ăh [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm one and thirty years.
2 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of Dā‑́vĭd his father, and declined [neither] to the right hand, nor to the left.
3 ¶ For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of Dā‑́vĭd his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
4 And they brake down the altars of Bā‑́ă‑lĭm in his presence; and the images, that [were] on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust [of them], and strowed [it] upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
6 And [so did he] in the cities of Mă‑năs‑́sēh, and Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, and Sĭm‑́ĕ‑o̱n, even unto Năph‑́tă‑lī, with their mattocks round about.
7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols through­out all the land of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, he returned to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
8 ¶ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shā‑́phăn the son of Ăz‑ă‑lī‑́ăh, and Mā‑ă‑se᷍i‑́ăh the governor of the city, and Jō‑́äh the son of Jō‑́ă‑hăz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
9 And when they came to Hĭl‑kī‑́ăh the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Lē‑́vītes that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Mă‑năs‑́sēh and Ē‑́phră‑ĭm, and of all the remnant of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and of all Jûd‑́ăh and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn; and they returned to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
10 And they put [it] in the hand of the work­men that had the over­sight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the work­men that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:
11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they [it], to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Jûd‑́ăh had destroyed.
12 And the men did the work faithfully: and the over­seers of them [were] Jā‑́hăth and Ō‑bă‑dī‑́ăh, the Lē‑́vītes, of the sons of Mĕ‑râr‑́ī; and Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh and Mĕ‑shŭl‑́lăm, of the sons of the Kō‑́hăth‑ītes, to set [it] forward; and [other of] the Lē‑́vītes, all that could skill of instruments of musick.
13 Also [they were] over the bearers of burdens, and [were] over­seers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Lē‑́vītes [there were] scribes, and officers, and porters.
14 ¶ And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hĭl‑kī‑́ăh the priest found a book of the law of the LORD [given] by Mō‑́ṡĕṡ.
15 And Hĭl‑kī‑́ăh answered and said to Shā‑́phăn the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hĭl‑kī‑́ăh delivered the book to Shā‑́phăn.
16 And Shā‑́phăn carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do [it].
17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the over­seers, and to the hand of the work­men.
18 Then Shā‑́phăn the scribe told the king, saying, Hĭl‑kī‑́ăh the priest hath given me a book. And Shā‑́phăn read it before the king.
19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.
20 And the king commanded Hĭl‑kī‑́ăh, and Ă‑hī‑́kăm the son of Shā‑́phăn, and Ăb‑́dŏn the son of Mī‑́căh, and Shā‑́phăn the scribe, and Ă‑sa᷍i‑́ăh a servant of the king’s, saying,
21 Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and in Jûd‑́ăh, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.
22 And Hĭl‑kī‑́ăh, and [they] that the king [had appointed], went to Hŭl‑́dăh the prophetess, the wife of Shăl‑́lŭm the son of Tĭk‑́văth, the son of Hăṡ‑́răh, keeper of the ward­robe; (now she dwelt in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm in the college:) and they spake to her to that [effect].
23 ¶ And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,
24 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, [even] all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Jûd‑́ăh:
25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.
26 And as for the king of Jûd‑́ăh, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl [concerning] the words which thou hast heard;
27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thy­self before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thy­self before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard [thee] also, saith the LORD.
28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
29 ¶ Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
30 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Jûd‑́ăh, and the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and the priests, and the Lē‑́vītes, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.
31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.
32 And he caused all that were present in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm and Bĕn‑́jă‑mĭn to stand [to it]. And the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
33 And Jō‑sī‑́ăh took away all the abominations out of all the countries that [pertained] to the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and made all that were present in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl to serve, [even] to serve the LORD their God. [And] all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
CHAPTER 35
More­over Jō‑sī‑́ăh kept a pass­over unto the LORD in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: and they killed the pass­over on the fourteenth [day] of the first month.
2 And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD,
3 And said unto the Lē‑́vītes that taught all Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n the son of Dā‑́vĭd king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl did build; [it shall] not [be] a burden upon [your] shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl,
4 And prepare [your­selves] by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of Dā‑́vĭd king of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl, and according to the writing of Sŏl‑́ŏ‑mo̱n his son.
5 And stand in the holy [place] according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and [after] the division of the families of the Lē‑́vītes.
6 So kill the pass­over, and sanctify your­selves, and prepare your brethren, that [they] may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ.
7 And Jō‑sī‑́ăh gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the pass­over offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these [were] of the king’s substance.
8 And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Lē‑́vītes: Hĭl‑kī‑́ăh and Zĕc͟h‑ă‑rī‑́ăh and Jĕ‑hī‑́ĕl, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the pass­over offerings two thousand and six hundred [small cattle], and three hundred oxen.
9 Cō‑nă‑nī‑́ăh also, and Shĕm‑a᷍i‑́ăh and Nĕth‑́ă‑ne᷍el, his brethren, and Hăsh‑ă‑bī‑́ăh and Jē‑ī‑́ĕl and Jō‑́ză‑băd, chief of the Lē‑́vītes, gave unto the Lē‑́vītes for pass­over offerings five thousand [small cattle], and five hundred oxen.
10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Lē‑́vītes in their courses, according to the king’s commandment.
11 And they killed the pass­over, and the priests sprinkled [the blood] from their hands, and the Lē‑́vītes flayed [them].
12 And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as [it is] written in the book of Mō‑́ṡĕṡ. And so [did they] with the oxen.
13 And they roasted the pass­over with fire according to the ordinance: but the [other] holy [offerings] sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided [them] speedily among all the people.
14 And after­ward they made ready for them­selves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of A᷍a‑́ro̱n [were busied] in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Lē‑́vītes prepared for them­selves, and for the priests the sons of A᷍a‑́ro̱n.
15 And the singers the sons of Ā‑́săph [were] in their place, according to the commandment of Dā‑́vĭd, and Ā‑́săph, and Hē‑́măn, and Jĕ‑dū‑́thŭn the king’s seer; and the porters [waited] at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Lē‑́vītes prepared for them.
16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the pass­over, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Jō‑sī‑́ăh.
17 And the children of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl that were present kept the pass­over at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
18 And there was no pass­over like to that kept in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl from the days of Săm‑́ū‑ĕl the prophet; neither did all the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl keep such a pass­over as Jō‑sī‑́ăh kept, and the priests, and the Lē‑́vītes, and all Jûd‑́ăh and Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl that were present, and the inhabitants of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jō‑sī‑́ăh was this pass­over kept.
20 ¶ After all this, when Jō‑sī‑́ăh had prepared the temple, Nē‑́c͟hō king of Ē‑́ġy̆pt came up to fight against Cär‑c͟hē‑́mĭsh by E᷍u‑phrā‑́tēṡ: and Jō‑sī‑́ăh went out against him.
21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Jûd‑́ăh? [I come] not against thee this day, but against the house where­with I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from [meddling with] God, who [is] with me, that he destroy thee not.
22 Nevertheless Jō‑sī‑́ăh would not turn his face from him, but disguised him­self, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Nē‑́c͟hō from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Mĕ‑gĭd‑́dō.
23 And the archers shot at king Jō‑sī‑́ăh; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.
24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and he died, and was buried in [one of] the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm mourned for Jō‑sī‑́ăh.
25 ¶ And Jĕr‑ē‑mī‑́ăh lamented for Jō‑sī‑́ăh: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Jō‑sī‑́ăh in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl: and, behold, they [are] written in the lamentations.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Jō‑sī‑́ăh, and his goodness, according to [that which was] written in the law of the LORD,
27 And his deeds, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and Jûd‑́ăh.
CHAPTER 36
Then the people of the land took Jĕ‑hō‑́ă‑hăz the son of Jō‑sī‑́ăh, and made him king in his father’s stead in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
2 Jĕ‑hō‑́ă‑hăz [was] twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
3 And the king of Ē‑́ġy̆pt put him down at Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
4 And the king of Ē‑́ġy̆pt made Ē‑lī‑́ă‑kĭm his brother king over Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and turned his name to Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑kĭm. And Nē‑́c͟hō took Jĕ‑hō‑́ă‑hăz his brother, and carried him to Ē‑́ġy̆pt.
5 ¶ Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑kĭm [was] twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: and he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
6 Against him came up Nĕb‑ū‑c͟hăd‑nĕz‑́zär king of Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n.
7 Nĕb‑ū‑c͟hăd‑nĕz‑́zär also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n, and put them in his temple at Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑kĭm, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl and Jûd‑́ăh: and Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑c͟hĭn his son reigned in his stead.
9 ¶ Jĕ‑ho᷍i‑́ă‑c͟hĭn [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm: and he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD.
10 And when the year was expired, king Nĕb‑ū‑c͟hăd‑nĕz‑́zär sent, and brought him to Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zĕd‑ē‑kī‑́ăh his brother king over Jûd‑́ăh and Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
11 ¶ Zĕd‑ē‑kī‑́ăh [was] one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
12 And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD his God, [and] humbled not him­self before Jĕr‑ē‑mī‑́ăh the prophet [speaking] from the mouth of the LORD.
13 And he also rebelled against king Nĕb‑ū‑c͟hăd‑nĕz‑́zär, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Ĭṡ‑́rā‑ĕl.
14 ¶ More­over all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm.
15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till [there was] no remedy.
17 Therefore he brought upon them the king of the C͟hăl‑́de᷍eṡ, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave [them] all into his hand.
18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all [these] he brought to Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n.
19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.
20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Băb‑́y̆‑lo̱n; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Pĕr‑́s̅i̅ă:
21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jĕr‑ē‑mī‑́ăh, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: [for] as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
22 ¶ Now in the first year of C̣ȳ‑́rŭs king of Pĕr‑́s̅i̅ă, that the word of the LORD [spoken] by the mouth of Jĕr‑ē‑mī‑́ăh might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of C̣ȳ‑́rŭs king of Pĕr‑́s̅i̅ă, that he made a proclamation through­out all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,
23 Thus saith C̣ȳ‑́rŭs king of Pĕr‑́s̅i̅ă, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jĕ‑rû‑́să‑lĕm, which [is] in Jûd‑́ăh. Who [is there] among you of all his people? The LORD his God [be] with him, and let him go up.